Nine to Noon

"Nine to Noon" is National Radio New Zealand's most popular program. On air every weekday from nine to noon (hence the name) it is currently presented by Linda Clark, a seasoned veteran of kiwilands fourth estate. She took over in 2002 from the immensely popular Kim Hill (a kind of BDSM mistress of the airwaves with a sultry voice). The nation was shocked by the transition, but Mrs. Clark has changed the editorial and broadcast style of the program resulting in a gentler morning, with less shouting matches pouring out of your AM transmitter. Yes that's right: most places in New Zealand still have to listen to their public broadcaster on AM.

This three hour mammoth of a radio programme (which must be a nightmare to produce: how do you fill 3 hours of daily airtime?) gives the editor and presenter the chance to actually pursue current issues much more in-depth than other news formats: where else do you have the chance to listen to 40 minutes interviews, when the normal format is the 1 minute soundbite?

The programme's weekly schedule is interspersed with daily regulars: the reading of the Book of the week, the hourly news, a daily book review and the ecclectic music.